Charter Schools, Market Capitalism, and Obama\u27s Neo-liberal Agenda

The contributors to this special issue of The Journal of Inquiry and Action provide insight into why the Obama administration’s educational policies manifest the dominance of neoliberal ideology over most elements of social life. The articles presented herein build on the work originally presented in The Phenomenon of Obama and the agenda for Education: Can hope audaciously trump neoliberalism? (Carr & Porfilio, 2011)

Feeding the School-to-Prison Pipeline: The Convergence of Neoliberalism, Conservativism, and Penal Populism

The increase in prisons and the policing of schools are both rooted in the convergence of neoliberalism, conservatism, and penal populism. This convergence criminalizes minority youth and reinforces the school-to-prison pipeline. Politicians and public servants criminalize minority youth by espousing tough-on-crime rhetoric for political gain. Law enforcement and school officials compound the matter by implementing zero-tolerance policies in the name of public safety. The result is that minority youth who have been suspended, expelled, or adjudicated in the juvenile justice system will likely be fed into the school-to-prison-pipeline and be further excluded from our neoliberal society

Mary Christianakis interview

Webcast file name: christianakis_oct18_2010Date: October 18, 2010Voice of Literacy host, Dr. Betsy Baker, interviews Dr. Mary Christianakis, Assistant Professor of Language, Literacy, and Culture at Occidental College in Los Angeles, California